REDMOND, Wash. and OSLO, Norway - April 24, 2008 -
Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: `MSFT`) is pleased to
announce that its voluntary cash tender offer
(the `Offer`) for all outstanding shares of Fast
Search & Transfer ASA (OSE: `FAST`) has been
completed. 289,305,603 shares of FAST tendered to
the Offer have been acquired by MACS Holdings
Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft
Corp. incorporated under the laws of Bermuda.
In connection with the completion, Microsoft Corp.
has today transferred 38,549,000 shares it held in
FAST to MACS Holdings Limited. Following such
transfer and the completion of the Offer, MACS
Holdings Limited owns 327,854,603 shares and votes
in FAST, representing 97.37% of all the shares
outstanding in FAST.
MACS Holdings Limited intends to initiate a
compulsory acquisition of the remaining shares in
FAST in accordance with section 4-25 of the
Norwegian Public Limited Companies Act. Such
compulsory acquisition of shares is expected to
take effect on or about April 28, 2008. In
addition, MACS Holdings Limited intends to apply
for a delisting of the FAST share from the Oslo
Stock Exchange after the completion of the
compulsory acquisition.
Further information on the settlement of the Offer
can be obtained from:
SEB Enskilda AS
Tel: +47 21 00 85 00
Fax: +47 21 00 89 00
Goldman Sachs International
Tel: +44 20 7774 9873
Fax: +44 20 7774 4477
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The offer is not being made and will not be made,
directly or indirectly, in or into the United
States, Canada, Australia or Japan. Any and all
materials related to the offer should not be sent
or otherwise distributed in or into the United
States, Canada, Australia or Japan, whether by use
of the United States mail or by any means or
instrumentality of United States, Canadian,
Australian or Japanese commerce (including, but
without limitation, the mail, facsimile
transmission, telex, telephone and the Internet) or
any facility of a United States, Canadian,
Australian or Japanese national securities
exchange, and the offer cannot be accepted by any
such use, means or instrumentality, in or from
within the United States, Canada, Australia or
Japan. Accordingly, no materials related to the
offer will be, and must not be, sent or otherwise
distributed in or into or from the United States,
Canada, Australia or Japan or, in their capacities
as such, to custodians, trustees or nominees
holding shares of FAST for United States, Canadian,
Australian or Japanese persons, and persons
receiving any such documents (including custodians,
nominees and trustees) must not distribute or send
them in, into or from the United States, Canada,
Australia or Japan. Any purported acceptance of the
offer resulting directly or indirectly from a
violation of these restrictions will be invalid. No
shares of FAST are being solicited from a resident
of the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan
and, if sent in response by a resident of the
United States, Canada, Australia or Japan, will not
be accepted.